Radon tube or implant



Feb. 23 1926.

C. H. vlQL -iuuuoN TUBE OR-MPLANT Filed April 23, 1924 Patented Feb, 23,1926,

-UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. VIOL, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARDCHEMICAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAMON TUBE OR IMPLANT.

Application filed April 23, 1924.

To all fte/wm t may concern.'

.Be it known that I, CHARLES I-I. Vlor., a citizen of the United States,and resident of `Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RadonTubes or Implants; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to in'iprovements in containers for radon orvradium emanation, such as employed for inserting radon into affectedtissues.

In the therapeutic application of radon (radium emanation), this gaseousradioactive decay product of radium is separated from a radium solutionin which it has accumulated, purified and then sealed in varying amountsin small glass tubes.

A most useful method of employing radon tubes consists in the making ofvery tiny glass tubes, foi. example about 3 mm. long and 0.3 mm. indiameter, each containing in the order of a millicurie of radon,and'then embedding these tiny tubes to form implants within the mass oftumor tissues. The implantation is done by placing the radon tube in thetip of a suitable hollow needle provided with a stylet. After placingthe radon tube in the top of the needle, with the stylet somewhatwithdrawn to make room therefor, the needle is plunged lto the desiredpoint in the tumor mass, then very slightly withdrawn, and the radontube is forced out into the tissue by pushing on the stylet. Ouwithdrawing the hollow needle, the radon tube remains embedded as animplant in the tumor mass.

It has been found to be difficult to pick up and manipulate the tinyglass radon Serial No. 708,512.

tubes as usually made of colorless transparent glass and it is theobject of this invention to provide radon tubes or implants which may bereadily visible and hence facilitate the handling and manipulation ofthe same. i

lVith the above mentioned object in view, the invention consists in aradon tube or implant having such intense color appearance as to renderthe same readily visible to facilitate the handling or manipulation ofthe same.

rIhe accompanying drawing illustrates radon tubes or implants embodyingmy invention and being shown on a greatly eX- aggerated scale.

Instead of making these minute tubes or implants of clear glass as hasheretofore been the custom, I propose to make them of glass having anintense color appearance, the material giving the color being embodied,preferably, in the glass, although the color effect might in some casesbe producedl 6a by an insoluble coating on the tube or i1nplant.

The tube or implant may be made to have a black appearance as indicatedat l, or a deep blue appearance as indicated yat 2, or a purpleappearance as indicated at 3, but in any case the appearance of the tubeor implant should be intense in color.

Having` fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

A radon tube or implant having such intense color appearance as torender the same readily visible to facilitate the handling ormanipulation of the same. 80

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

CHARLES H. VIOL.

